A Chance at the Road Not Taken
by Chikitani
Summary: I knew that lying would only cause further pain, but telling the truth wouldn't help either. But as I stood there, watching them be pushed back, there was nothing else that I could do except help when things took a turn for the worse.
1. Prologue - Part 1

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

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-Begin Prologue-

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It was as I was moving towards the exit that I happened to stumble upon a group that was steadily retreating towards the exit. But even as they were retreating, they were being pursued steadily by a large group of monsters. As a clearer, I immediately thought that the group, in the midst of levelling, had obviously drawn too much aggro and were overwhelmed. As a fellow player, it was my first instinct to help them on the battlefield since there may be a day that I would need help in return. Further, it was a waste to have anyone else die needlessly in this Death Game, not to mention that my own morals dictated that I help. However I was torn between my experiences as a solo player which told me that helping them would only cause me to get ostracized as a «Beater» once again. I watched, torn between my conflicting emotions, debating if I should help them or not.

The decision was made for me when their only tank, a guy wielding a mace and shield tripped while retreating and the goblins piled on him while his party members could only watch on in horror. Even if he could live, I could not just stay and watch. Dashing out of my spot, I used the Sword Skill «Slant» to easily dispatch the leading goblin and then take the other hits with my body while covering the fallen player. With my high level, damage from such comparatively low monsters would not be dangerous to me unless I were to stand doing nothing for a long time.

As the cooldown of using «Slant» expired, I used regular attacks to deflect the goblins' attacks and then make short work of them. Turning around as I sheathed my sword, I apologized for my forward actions.

"Sorry for killing your mobs, but it looked like you were in danger."

At first they had looked rather confused why a high level player like myself was down here. But only after a moments of inspection from them, they looked at each other and exchanged looks. Shrugging, the one with the name Keita stepped up and replied for his team. "It's okay. Better to be safe than sorry."

I nodded and turned to go on my way before a thought made me hesitate.

"Ah, do you want me to help you for a bit? Though your levels may seem adequate for this area, your party is a bit imbalanced with only one forward."

They gave me surprised and suspicious looks, before Keita spoke up again.

"Can you explain yourself?"

Shrugging, I tried to remain nonchalant as I explained myself.

"Though normally I wouldn't offer, if you're trying to gain levels then you should do so with a safer party composition. with only one forward you won't be able to keep up with damage, leading to the situation that I found you in. If I join you and help you gain a few levels or possibly even help train a new forward, then it will become much safer for you to level. Though it might be unwanted advice, it really is dangerous with only one forward. And the clearing group will always be in need of experienced people to join in the front lines, so its best for me to help now before you overreach yourselves."

After hearing my reasoning, they had a short discussion among themselves after which Keita returned to me and spoke, "I'm sorry, but we will respectfully decline. We'd rather level by ourselves then be pulled along by a clearer."

One of the members behind him scoffed and muttered under his breath, "Tch as if we'd party with a «Beater» like him".

It wasn't obviously meant for me to hear, but his voice carried over a bit. Even though I was used to being called a «Beater», having it being the only reason for someone declining to party with me hurt a bit. But it was obvious that such a thing would happen. A solo player with high enough level to kill the mobs here with such ease could only be a clearer. And a solo clearer could only be a beater.

The other members flushed a bit with embarassment and Keita looked at the one who spoke up sharply, but said nothing in response. I had expected as much, but I had hoped otherwise. But if that's how it was going to be, then that was how it was going to be. Nothing I could say or do would change their minds about it.

My slightly nervous smile turned a bit flat, but I forced myself to not frown. Anyways, I reasoned to myself that it was a bit awkward to be so rudely intruding in their affairs. "Ah, if that's the case, then have a good day".

I turned around and walked away, hoping to put them out of my mind.

It was a long walk back.


	2. Prologue - Part 2

Even as the black-clothed teen walked away, Keita couldn't help but feel sorry.

Though Ducker had ostensibly made things worse with his not-so-quite comment, Keita's statement had the truth in it.

"We'd rather level by ourselves then be pulled along by a clearer."

Even if they were just a mid-level guild comprised of only 5 people with only one person truly suited for forward, they had gotten here by their own efforts. It was one thing to find someone else to party with. It was a completely different matter to be spoon-fed experience points and kills. Even if they struggled more than another, similarly-leveled party would have, it was their own troubles to deal with.

Of their group, Sasamaru and Tetsuo had been ambivalent about the situation. Only Sachi had been for having the clearer join them - she had been worried, not to mention frightened, of the possibilities. Keita had been frightened too - he's always had his worries. As the Guild Leader, he always felt that it had been his responsibility to watch over his friends and ensure their safety. When Tetsuo's life had been threatened earlier, his heart had stopped and Keita's will to fight had very nearly faltered. But still, even if it was meaningless, he had his own pride to think of.

They would find the answer to their own problems. Not lean on a crutch and be carried.

That said...

"Ducker! That was out of line," Keita reprimanded, turning a sharp eye on Ducker. Even if the swordsman had been a beater, it was rude to say something like that when he had helped Tetsuo out of a sticky spot.

Ducker scuffed the ground with his shoe but didn't say anything.

Sighing, Keita made the decision to return to town. There wasn't going to be any progress after these recent events.

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After ten minutes of walking - very nearly running - away from them, I stopped in a clearing.

Conflicting emotions raged in my chest.

Why had I even bothered?

After I helped them, I should've told them to take greater care and simply left it at that. Or perhaps I shouldn't have helped them at all. The forward would have likely not died... No, even if the forward would not have died, it was right to not leave thing to chance. It was the right thing to do, to charge forward and defend them. Regardless of what titles I was given, I wasn't going to simply stand by and watch someone die when I could do something about it.

Still, it hurt. My hand rose to grip painfully at my chest. Why did it hurt so much?

Exhaling loudly, I shook my head and steeled myself. This was the path that I had chosen for myself when I rose up against Kibaou's accusations back then. I knew that, with the label of «Beater» on me, no one was going to willing take me. This wasn't the time to regret such things, not when there so many floors left to clear. If I didn't focus, then my chances of dying would surely be 100%.

I'm a «Solo Player».

I'm a «Beater».

This was my path.

I returned to town to finish upgrading my sword.

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I made my way to the city's «Teleport Gates» with my newly upgrade sword in hand. This was long enough of a vacation. It was time to return to the front lines and grind for experience. A day may not mean much to some, but to me and likely the other clearers it was a large amount of time that had been wasted. At least it hadn't been completely wasted, as I had been grinding for materials to upgrade my sword. Still, the gap between me and the other front liners has likely been decreased, and I would have to work hard to ensure that the gap didn't get any closer.

I have a reputation to maintain after all, I thought darkly.

I reached the gates and was about to teleport when a hand grabbed at my sleeve. Startled, I turned around, all the while wondering who it was.

It was that girl, who had been with them. Sachi her icon said.

Scratching a bit at my face, I asked her, "Ah, did you want something?"

She flushed a bit and stammered in the beginning, but managed to speak softly. "Thank you for everything. Things might have gone differently if you weren't there."

Confronted like this, I was at a loss for words. My mouth opened and closed as I tried to think of a response. Some new emotion stirred, and I was having trouble identifying it. Either she noticed my inability to come up with a response, or she thought that my nonresponse was something else, because she rushed on anyways.

"Though we said no today, maybe someday the «Black Cats of the Full Moon» will need your help. Or maybe we'll meet again someday in the front lines. Either way, please don't let Ducker's insensitive words get to you. They're all just proud... And scared."

We just stood there like that, her gripping my sleeve and me just staring wordlessly at this bold girl who stopped me. Finally, I could let a smile appear.

"I'd be happy to help any time, miss," I said. Surprisingly, I could feel that I meant it. Even though they had said no, if they asked me later I wouldn't be able to refuse.

She smiled in response and told me, "Please call me Sachi." She fiddled around with her hand and sent me a friend request.

I was surprised, but my finger gravitated towards the accept button. "My name's Kirito."

With that, I pulled my sleeve gently from her grasp and activated the gates to teleport to the front lines. As the gates began to teleport me, I smiled at Sachi once again and waved my hand.

It was nice being thanked.

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-End Prologue-


End file.
